xbox 360 news digest for 04-03-08
Welcome to the second xbox 360 news digest, now a weekly Thursday feature (with 50% more news!). It's been an exciting week for the Xbox 360, including a drawn out viral advertising campaign by Ubisoft culminating in the official announcement of a new Tom Clancy intellectual property.
Introducing Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. - a future-force combat flight simulator to be released in Fall 2008. Featuring over 50 planes for aerial dogfighting goodness, it is set in a world where a private military company has become so powerful that it actually invades the United States. Judging by the trailer, it seems to be set in the same universe as Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter. The selling feature of the game is the Enhanced Reality System (ERS), which turns you into a veritable super-pilot, with such assists as radars, incoming missile detection, an anti-crash system, damage control system, tactical map, information relay, weapons trajectory control and the ability to give commands to your AI squadron. H.A.W.X. (High Altitude Warfare X) will also feature 4-player drop-in-drop-out co-operative play as well as 16 player online multiplayer. I must say - it's looking promising and I might be on the lookout for an Ace Combat flight stick. See for yourself.
Mr. Driller Online is this week's XBLA launch - adding to the already extensive library of Xbox Live Arcade puzzle games, Mr. Driller Online is a faithful version of the original Mr. Driller but with the extra "Online" bit, adding online versus, team battle, split screen versus to the single player Standard or Quest Driller. Check out the Mr. Driller Online page at Xbox.com and/or download the trial version from the Xbox Live Marketplace to determine if it's worthy of the 800 Microsoft point admission fee.
One day only - Battlestar Galactica half price this Saturday - I haven't tried this game yet, but on April 5, 2008, Xbox Live users will have the opportunity to grab it for a mere 400 Microsoft points. Battlestar Galactica is a space-combat similator based on the popular TV series of the same name. Visit the XBLA profile page and/or download the trial and see what you think. [Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Grand Theft Auto IV commercial entices you to pre-order at GameStop - while I'm still hurt over GameStop not honouring my WoW:BC Collector's Edition pre-order, this commercial does do a great job of showing off GTA IV's sexually charged gameplay (I've always wanted to say that). There's even a brief glimpse of a scene that looks like it's right out of the 1995 blockbuster Heat. Counting down the 26 days to GTA IV's release and on the prowl for a midnight launch - colour me excited.
Rock Band fans receive 'Still Alive' downloadable song...free! - I couldn't think of a better entry into the "free" category of Rock Band's enormous catalog of downloadable songs than the smash-hit end-credits song from Portal. Written by Jonathan Coulton and voiced by Ellen McLain's GLaDOS, Still Alive is a timeless tale of love, betrayal, deception, perseverance against all odds, and cake. Here's wishing I could afford the Rock Band bundle, but diapers, baby formula, and a need to continually update my son's wardrobe has severely depleted my discretionary funds. I will however, be belting out this epic tune at a friend's house this weekend. [Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith trailer released, game release in June - originally I had reservations about a Guitar Hero title focusing only on Aerosmith, but my fears were allayed as other bands will be in the game also, including Cheap Trick, The Clash, Lenny Kravitz, The Black Crowes, Run D.M.C., Stone Temple Pilots, Deep Purple and The White Stripes. Let's just hope the achievements aren't as mind-blowingly impossible as the majority of Guitar Hero 3's achievements were. Check out the trailer at Xbox 360 Fanboy.
Army of Two demo releases on April 1, 2008, DLC to follow - file this one under "not an April Fool's joke". I've heard a lot of good things about Army of Two, so I'm glad a demo is finally available - though I haven't had a chance to check it out yet. Present owners of Army of Two can also look forward to upcoming downloadable content, including a new multiplayer map, two new campaign maps, and a new mercs obstacle course called SSC Challenge. [Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
GTA IV achievements (fully?) revealed - it seems a GameSpot user found a list of the Grand Theft Auto IV achievements and posted them, which was subsequently picked up by the blogosphere. Later, descriptions were added; but the accuracy of those descriptions has been called into some question, due to somewhat poor grammar, lack of imagination and a striking similarity to Bully: Scholarship Edition's achievements. However, if they are accurate, I should give the obligatory "spoiler" warning. The list of viewable at 360sync.com.
Introducing Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. - a future-force combat flight simulator to be released in Fall 2008. Featuring over 50 planes for aerial dogfighting goodness, it is set in a world where a private military company has become so powerful that it actually invades the United States. Judging by the trailer, it seems to be set in the same universe as Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter. The selling feature of the game is the Enhanced Reality System (ERS), which turns you into a veritable super-pilot, with such assists as radars, incoming missile detection, an anti-crash system, damage control system, tactical map, information relay, weapons trajectory control and the ability to give commands to your AI squadron. H.A.W.X. (High Altitude Warfare X) will also feature 4-player drop-in-drop-out co-operative play as well as 16 player online multiplayer. I must say - it's looking promising and I might be on the lookout for an Ace Combat flight stick. See for yourself.
Mr. Driller Online is this week's XBLA launch - adding to the already extensive library of Xbox Live Arcade puzzle games, Mr. Driller Online is a faithful version of the original Mr. Driller but with the extra "Online" bit, adding online versus, team battle, split screen versus to the single player Standard or Quest Driller. Check out the Mr. Driller Online page at Xbox.com and/or download the trial version from the Xbox Live Marketplace to determine if it's worthy of the 800 Microsoft point admission fee.
One day only - Battlestar Galactica half price this Saturday - I haven't tried this game yet, but on April 5, 2008, Xbox Live users will have the opportunity to grab it for a mere 400 Microsoft points. Battlestar Galactica is a space-combat similator based on the popular TV series of the same name. Visit the XBLA profile page and/or download the trial and see what you think. [Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Grand Theft Auto IV commercial entices you to pre-order at GameStop - while I'm still hurt over GameStop not honouring my WoW:BC Collector's Edition pre-order, this commercial does do a great job of showing off GTA IV's sexually charged gameplay (I've always wanted to say that). There's even a brief glimpse of a scene that looks like it's right out of the 1995 blockbuster Heat. Counting down the 26 days to GTA IV's release and on the prowl for a midnight launch - colour me excited.
Rock Band fans receive 'Still Alive' downloadable song...free! - I couldn't think of a better entry into the "free" category of Rock Band's enormous catalog of downloadable songs than the smash-hit end-credits song from Portal. Written by Jonathan Coulton and voiced by Ellen McLain's GLaDOS, Still Alive is a timeless tale of love, betrayal, deception, perseverance against all odds, and cake. Here's wishing I could afford the Rock Band bundle, but diapers, baby formula, and a need to continually update my son's wardrobe has severely depleted my discretionary funds. I will however, be belting out this epic tune at a friend's house this weekend. [Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith trailer released, game release in June - originally I had reservations about a Guitar Hero title focusing only on Aerosmith, but my fears were allayed as other bands will be in the game also, including Cheap Trick, The Clash, Lenny Kravitz, The Black Crowes, Run D.M.C., Stone Temple Pilots, Deep Purple and The White Stripes. Let's just hope the achievements aren't as mind-blowingly impossible as the majority of Guitar Hero 3's achievements were. Check out the trailer at Xbox 360 Fanboy.
Army of Two demo releases on April 1, 2008, DLC to follow - file this one under "not an April Fool's joke". I've heard a lot of good things about Army of Two, so I'm glad a demo is finally available - though I haven't had a chance to check it out yet. Present owners of Army of Two can also look forward to upcoming downloadable content, including a new multiplayer map, two new campaign maps, and a new mercs obstacle course called SSC Challenge. [Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
GTA IV achievements (fully?) revealed - it seems a GameSpot user found a list of the Grand Theft Auto IV achievements and posted them, which was subsequently picked up by the blogosphere. Later, descriptions were added; but the accuracy of those descriptions has been called into some question, due to somewhat poor grammar, lack of imagination and a striking similarity to Bully: Scholarship Edition's achievements. However, if they are accurate, I should give the obligatory "spoiler" warning. The list of viewable at 360sync.com.
:D
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